Omagh bombing: Difference between revisions

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{{NPOV}}
{{Infobox terrorist attack
{{Infobox terrorist attack
|title = Omagh bombing
|title = Omagh bombing
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|perps = [[Real Irish Republican Army|Real IRA]]
|perps = [[Real Irish Republican Army|Real IRA]]
}}
}}
The '''Omagh bombing''' was a [[car bomb]] attack carried out by the [[Real IRA]] on [[August 15]], [[1998]], in [[Omagh]], [[County Tyrone]], [[Northern Ireland]].
{{TOCleft}}The '''Omagh bombing''' was a [[car bomb]] attack carried out by the [[Real IRA]] on [[August 15]], [[1998]], in [[Omagh]], [[County Tyrone]], [[Northern Ireland]].


The Real IRA comprises a splinter group of former [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] members opposed to the peace process marked by the [[Belfast Agreement]].
The Real IRA comprises a splinter group of former [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] members opposed to the peace process marked by the [[Belfast Agreement]].
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Twenty-nine people were killed as a result of the attack, including one woman who was pregnant with twins, and approximately 220 people were injured.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/northern_ireland/latest_news/152156.stm|title=Omagh bombing kills 28|date=[[1998-08-16]]|accessdate=2007-03-14|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The attack was described by the [[BBC]] as "Northern Ireland's worst single terrorist atrocity".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/524462.stm|title=Bravery awards for bomb helpers|date=[[1999-11-17]]|accessdate=2007-03-14|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>
Twenty-nine people were killed as a result of the attack, including one woman who was pregnant with twins, and approximately 220 people were injured.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/northern_ireland/latest_news/152156.stm|title=Omagh bombing kills 28|date=[[1998-08-16]]|accessdate=2007-03-14|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The attack was described by the [[BBC]] as "Northern Ireland's worst single terrorist atrocity".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/524462.stm|title=Bravery awards for bomb helpers|date=[[1999-11-17]]|accessdate=2007-03-14|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>


The victims included people of both Catholic and Protestant denominations, and also included [[Spain|Spanish]] tourists and others on a day trip from [[County Donegal]] in the [[Republic of Ireland]].
The victims included people of both Catholic and Protestant denominations, and also included [[Spain|Spanish]] tourists and others on a day trip from [[County Donegal]] in the [[Republic of Ireland]].{{clear}}


==Chronology==
==Chronology==
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Omagh maintains a [[memorial garden]] in the town centre.
Omagh maintains a [[memorial garden]] in the town centre.

==List of those killed==

#James Barker (12), from Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
#Fernando Blasco Baselga (12), from Madrid, Spain.
#Geraldine Breslin (43), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Deborah Anne Cartwright (20), from Birchwood, Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Gareth Conway (18), from Carrickmore.
#Breda Devine (20 months), from Donemana, County Tyrone.
#Oran Doherty (8), from Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
#Aidan Gallagher (21), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Esther Gibson (36), from Beragh, County Tyrone.
#Mary Grimes (65), from Beragh, County Tyrone.
#Olive Hawkes (60), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Julia Hughes (21), Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Brenda Logue (17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Anne McCombe (45), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Brian McCrory (54), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Samantha McFarland (17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Seán McGrath (61), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Sean McLaughlin (12), from Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
#Jolene Marlow (17), from Eskra, Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Avril Monaghan (30), from Augher, County Tyrone.
#Maura Monaghan (18 months), from Augher, County Tyrone.
#Alan Radford (16 or 17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Rocio Abad Ramos (23 or 24), from Madrid, Spain.
# Elizabeth (Libby) Rush (57), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Veda Short (46), from Gortaclare, Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Philomena Skelton (39), from Dooish, Drumquin.
#Frederick White (60), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Bryan White (26), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
#Lorraine Wilson (15), from Omagh, County Tyrone.


==See also==
==See also==
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==External links==
==External links==
* [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/omagh/ CAIN: Key Events - The Omagh Bomb, 15 August 1998]
* [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/omagh/ CAIN: Key Events - The Omagh Bomb, 15 August 1998]
* [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/omagh/dead.htm CAIN: List of those killed]
* [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/omagh/dead.htm CAIN: Brief biographies and photos of those killed]
* [http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/omagh/main.html Website dedicated to the Omagh bomb event] ''Warning: Contains graphic eye-witness accounts''
* [http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/omagh/main.html Website dedicated to the Omagh bomb event] ''Warning: Contains graphic eye-witness accounts''
* [http://www.channel4.com/omagh Reflections on the Omagh bombing on the 5th anniversary]
* [http://www.channel4.com/omagh Reflections on the Omagh bombing on the 5th anniversary]

Revision as of 23:20, 10 April 2007

Omagh bombing
The red Vauxhall Cavalier carrying the bomb. This photo was taken by a tourist shortly before the explosion, the camera being found in the rubble afterwards.
LocationOmagh, Northern Ireland
DateAugust 15, 1998
TargetMarketplace
Attack type
Car bomb
Deaths29
Injuredapproximately 220
PerpetratorsReal IRA

The Omagh bombing was a car bomb attack carried out by the Real IRA on August 15, 1998, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

The Real IRA comprises a splinter group of former Provisional Irish Republican Army members opposed to the peace process marked by the Belfast Agreement.

Twenty-nine people were killed as a result of the attack, including one woman who was pregnant with twins, and approximately 220 people were injured.[1] The attack was described by the BBC as "Northern Ireland's worst single terrorist atrocity".[2]

The victims included people of both Catholic and Protestant denominations, and also included Spanish tourists and others on a day trip from County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.

Chronology

  • The Vauxhall Cavalier carrying the bomb, was parked outside a clothes shop on Omagh's Market Street at 2.00pm. It had previously been stolen in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan a week before, it then had its Republic of Ireland number plates replaced with Northern Ireland plates. The driver and another occupant left the car and walked down Campsie Road.
  • At 2.30pm the first warning was received by an employee of UTV in Belfast. After passing the information to the RUC, the employee received another warning three minutes later. At the same time another warning was given to the Coleraine office of the Samaritans.
  • At 3:10pm the bomb detonated.

Warnings

On the day of the bombing, three warnings were recorded and reported:

Received by Ulster Television at 14:30

"There's a bomb, courthouse, Omagh, main street, 500 pounds, explosion 30 minutes."

Received by the Coleraine office of the 'Samaritans' charity at 14:32

"Am I through to Omagh? This is a bomb warning. It's going to go off in 30 minutes." (followed possibly by further pieces of information not recorded, including that the location of the bomb was allegedly 200 yards from the courthouse).

Received by Ulster Television at 14:35

"Bomb, Omagh town, 15 minutes."[3]

There has been considerable debate about the subject of these warnings, the tapes of some warnings have not been released to the public, and some information about the location of the bomb may have been recorded incorrectly or ignored. Several warnings mentioned that the bomb was 200 yards away from the courthouse, the actual bombing was between 300-400 yards from the Courthouse.

Police Ombudsman Report

The Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, strongly criticised the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) over their handling of the investigation. Her report stated that RUC officers had ignored previous warnings about a bomb and had failed to act on crucial intelligence. She went on to say that officers had been uncooperative and defensive during her inquiry into the investigation. RUC officers had been seen moving people towards the bomb, which they claimed was because the warnings had been for the Courthouse.[4] On 24 February, 2006, it was alleged that an agent paid by MI5 and the FBI, knew of the plan to bomb Omagh, but that MI5 never passed this information to police.[5]

The Mirror report that initially, the Police Association, which represents senior officers and rank and file members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), went to court to try to block the release of the O'Loan report, but dropped their efforts after being given more time to review the report before its release to the public.

However Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan stated that the multiple warnings were given to cause confusion and ultimately a greater loss of life.[6] Flanagan resigned following the O'Loan report.

Responsibility

After the attack the Real IRA claimed "minimal responsibility" for bombing the courthouse at Omagh, and later released a statement claiming two MI5 agents were largely responsible for the bombing.

The BBC's Panorama programme, Who Bombed Omagh?, shown in 2000, gave the names of the prime suspects as Séamus McKenna, Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy, and Seamus Daly. It is believed that the bombing of BBC Television Centre in London was a revenge attack for the broadcast.

Builder and publican Murphy, from County Louth, was charged and convicted in 2001 by the Republic's Special Criminal Court for "conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause injury". He was sentenced to fourteen years. In January 2005, Murphy's conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal, on the grounds that two Gardaí had falsified interview notes, and that Murphy's previous convictions were improperly taken into account by the trial judges.[7]

Many of the others were later sued in a civil action by the relatives of people killed in the bombing, including the families of James Barker, 12, Samantha McFarland, 17, Lorraine Wilson, 15, and 20-month-old Breda Devine.

Wikinews has related news:

On September 6, 2006 Sean Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, County Armagh went on trial accused of 29 counts of murder, as well as terrorism and explosives charges.[8]

Memorials

The bombing inspired the song "Paper Sun", by rock group Def Leppard, as noted in the commentary of their album Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection.

Another song inspired by the bombings was "Peace on Earth", by rock group U2, and includes the line "They're reading names out over the radio. All the folks the rest of us won't get to know. Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann, and Breda." The 5 names mentioned are five of the victims from this attack. Another Line, "She never got to say goodbye, To see the colour in his eyes, now he's in the dirt", was about how James Barker, a victim, was remembered by his mother Donna Maria Barker in an article in the Irish Times after the bombing in Omagh.

Omagh maintains a memorial garden in the town centre.

List of those killed

  1. James Barker (12), from Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
  2. Fernando Blasco Baselga (12), from Madrid, Spain.
  3. Geraldine Breslin (43), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  4. Deborah Anne Cartwright (20), from Birchwood, Omagh, County Tyrone.
  5. Gareth Conway (18), from Carrickmore.
  6. Breda Devine (20 months), from Donemana, County Tyrone.
  7. Oran Doherty (8), from Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
  8. Aidan Gallagher (21), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  9. Esther Gibson (36), from Beragh, County Tyrone.
  10. Mary Grimes (65), from Beragh, County Tyrone.
  11. Olive Hawkes (60), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  12. Julia Hughes (21), Omagh, County Tyrone.
  13. Brenda Logue (17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  14. Anne McCombe (45), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  15. Brian McCrory (54), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  16. Samantha McFarland (17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  17. Seán McGrath (61), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  18. Sean McLaughlin (12), from Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.
  19. Jolene Marlow (17), from Eskra, Omagh, County Tyrone.
  20. Avril Monaghan (30), from Augher, County Tyrone.
  21. Maura Monaghan (18 months), from Augher, County Tyrone.
  22. Alan Radford (16 or 17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  23. Rocio Abad Ramos (23 or 24), from Madrid, Spain.
  24. Elizabeth (Libby) Rush (57), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  25. Veda Short (46), from Gortaclare, Omagh, County Tyrone.
  26. Philomena Skelton (39), from Dooish, Drumquin.
  27. Frederick White (60), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  28. Bryan White (26), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
  29. Lorraine Wilson (15), from Omagh, County Tyrone.

See also

  • Omagh, a 2004 TV movie dealing with the bombing

External links

Notes

  1. ^ "Omagh bombing kills 28". BBC News. 1998-08-16. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Bravery awards for bomb helpers". BBC News. 1999-11-17. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Johnston, Wesley. "Before the Bomb - 15 August, 1998". Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  4. ^ "Statement by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland on her Investigation of matters relating to the Omagh Bomb on August 15, 1998" (PDF). 2001-12-12. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "MI5 withheld intelligence ahead of Omagh". RTÉ News. 2006-02-24. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Johnston, Wesley. "Appendix B: Police Press Releases on the Omagh Bomb". Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  7. ^ "Relatives disappointed with Omagh ruling". RTÉ News. 2005-01-21. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Sickness halts Omagh trial". The Guardian. 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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